Improvement in oscillating steam-engines



UNITED 'STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE J. WARDWELL, OF RUTLAND, VERMONT.

IMPROVEMENT IN, OSCILLATING STEAM-ENGINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 156,685a dated November10, 1874; application liled October 1, 1874.

To all whom it may concern.'

Beit known that I, GEORGE J. WARDwELL, of the town and county ofRutland, State of Vermont, have invented a new and useful Improvement inOscillating Steam-Engines 5 and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings making partof this specification, in Which-Figure 1 is a side elevation of an oscillating engine constructed inaccordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical centrall section ofthe same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the piston and its rod, andstrap or box by which the crank-shaft is connected to the piston-rod.Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the cylinder. Fig. 5 is a diagram ona plane of the circumference of thepiston.

First, the nature of my invention consists in the combination, with thepiston-rod of an oscillating engine and a guide-rod, of means forturning the piston while it is reciprocating second, in the crank-shaftstrap or box, made in two halves, and constructed to receive and confinethe lower end of the piston-rod of an oscillating engine while it claspsaround the crankshaft.

The rst part of myfinvention is designed for so operating the piston ofan oscillating engine that its curved receiving and exhausting passagesshall be brought and keptin range with the inlet and` exhaust ports ofthe cylinder during the inward and outward strokes of the piston. Theconstruction and operation of my invention are such that the use ofvalves in or on the cylinder are rendered unnecessary, and yet the steammay be cut off at any point desired, and worked on the expansion, whilethe piston is balanced at proper times in range with the inlet andexhaust passages of the cylinder during the inward and outward strokesof the piston; and the second part of my invention is to simplify,render more convenient and durable, as Well as cheapen the connectingmeans between the crank andpiston-rod of oscillating engines.

A represents the frame of the engine, cast 'in two upright circularparts, with openings through it for making it light' and giving accessto its interior, wherein the workin g parts of the engine are arranged.The lower part has a broad base-flange, and the upper part has a flangeat its base, by which it is bolted to the lower part.

Any other style of frame may be adopted 5 but the one shown is light,strong, and cheap.

B is the oscillating cylinder, hung by its hollow journals a a in boxesupon the top of the frame, so that about one-half of its length extendsdown into the frame. This cylinder is perfectly plain in its bore,having no other chamber or passages besides the receiving-passage al andthe exhaust-passage a2 through its journals a a, which passages areenlarged and narrowed as they approach the interior circumference of thecylinder, in order that the discharging end thereof shall be equal inits capacity to the receiving end. G is the piston, having in itreverse-operating receiving-passages d d1, of about thecurvilinear-shape represented. These passages commence near opi positeends of the cylinder in open grooves, and then for about one-half, moreor less, of their length take the form of inclosed channels or tubes,and extend to the ends of the piston, so as to open into the cylinder atopposite ends of the piston. Onthe opposite side ofthe pistonreverse-operating exhaust-ports d2 d3 are formed in the piston, thesetaking the form of open grooves from their beginning to their ending.The receiving and exhausting ports are of about the same shape, andthey, respectively, work together in pairs, one of the exhaustports andone of the receiving-ports operating on the in stroke and the othersoperating on the out stroke of the piston. These ports are so arrangedthat the steam acts on both sides of the piston simultaneously, for thepurpose of balancing the piston, while only one of the ports thus actingis in communication directly with the steam-inlet passage, and whilethis is the case the tubular portions of the receiving-channels causethe steam to be cut off and worked on the expansion near the completionof the in and out strokes of the piston. To work this piston, it isconnected to a crankshaft, D, by its rod E 5 and to make thisconnection, I have devised a strap or box, F F, made of two halves, andin the upper part of these halves semicircular bearing or box seats e efor the lower end of the piston-rod are formed, and below these seats atransverse passage, f, is made through each of the pieces, in order toaccommodate an enlargement, g, of the end of the rod, and below thispassage semieircular bearing or box seats h h for the crank of the shaftare made transversely through the pieces F F, as shown. The pieces F Fare placed laterally against the crankwrist between the crank-arms, andagainst the piston-rod above its enlarged end, and clamped loosely uponthe same by bolts or screws. The connection thus made produces anoscillation and reciprocation of the piston; and now, to turn the pistonduring these movements, a coupling-pin, G, standing at right angles tothe piston-rod, is firmly fastened by an eye-piece to the rod, and thispin is passed loosely through an eye of a vertically-sliding piece, H,which is fitted loosely by an eye over a vertical rod, I, which isrigidly connected to the frame A, as shown. By this couplingcontrivanee, which may be varied in its construction and arrangementWithout departing from my invention, the piston-rod and piston arevibrated circularly during the oscillating movements of the piston andcylinder, and thus the ports of the piston are brought properly in rangewith the inlet and exhaust passages, both on the in and out strokes ofthe piston.

It may be found desirable to use other power than steam for working thisengine, and therefore I reserve to myself the privilege of using eithersteam, air, gas, or any other suitable agent as the power for operatingthe piston.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. The combination, with theoscillating piston-rod E and the guide-rod I, of a sliding connectingdevice, G H, for turning the piston while the piston is oscillating withthe cylinder, and sliding back and forth therein, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of the connectingstrap or box, made of two halves, asdescribed, with the crank-shaft and piston-rod of the engine,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

GEORGE JEFFARDS WARDWELL.

Witnesses:

C. H. FORBES, C. CLARK.

